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RCMP rev up for motorcycle training in Kelowna

Officers will be pulling people over as part of their training

Expect more police on Kelowna roads next week.

RCMP motorcycle training is underway and the officers who pass the cone course at UBC Okanagan will be hitting the streets for further training.

The Officer in Charge for Central Okanagan Highway Patrol Units Inspector Dale Somerville said it’s a two-week course.

“On our first week…we are on a cone course making up all the skills to be a good motorcycle operator. Then on the second week, we’re out on the road being police officers on motorcycles at that point in time.”

Officers go through certification on Friday.

“You may get pulled over, and I’m telling you right now it’s just basic for training,” Somerville said about next week. “Please have some patience with us, have some patience with the new officers. We’ll come up to your window, we’ll say hi, we’ll say thank you very much for helping us with our training, and we’ll send you on your way.”

Somerville noted if you get pulled over it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve done something wrong.

Somerville says they train officers on motorcycles every year because it is a faster way for officers to get where they need to be than a police car.

“You get that crash, for example, on our bridge here at Okanagan Lake and it’s all jammed up full of traffic, well a motorcycle can get there, split lanes and get there before anybody else.”

He also noted it’s more efficient for officers to catch drivers disobeying the rules.

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Brittany Webster

About the Author: Brittany Webster

A video journalist with Black Press Media. I recently made the exciting move from my radio anchor position at AM 1150 to this new venture.
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